AP launches AI based ‘City Flood Alert’ system

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

In a major step towards improving urban disaster management, the Andhra Pradesh government has developed an AI-powered “City Flood Alert” system to provide advance warnings of urban flooding and enable authorities to respond before disaster strikes. Developed by the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS) in collaboration with the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) and experts from IIT Gandhinagar, the system combines artificial intelligence, satellite imagery, predictive analytics and hydrological modelling to forecast heavy rainfall and flash floods in urban areas.

The initiative has been rolled out initially for Vijayawada, a city that remains vulnerable to flooding from the Budameru stream. Officials said the platform has been designed following the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to strengthen climate resilience and improve disaster preparedness in cities.

The system uses a high-resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) created from satellite data, along with historical information on rainfall, flood patterns and water flow over the past three decades. Based on this data, flood-prone zones and waterlogging hotspots have been mapped at the ward level, allowing authorities to identify areas at the highest risk during heavy rainfall.

According to RTGS, the platform can forecast rainfall up to two days in advance and detect the likelihood of flash floods nearly six hours before they occur. Once a flood threat is identified, alerts will be automatically transmitted through APSDMA to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation, district administration and field-level officials, enabling them to clear drainage systems, deploy emergency teams and evacuate residents from vulnerable locations if necessary.

Officials said the technology is expected to significantly reduce the risk of loss of life and property by facilitating timely preventive action rather than post-disaster response. The government plans to extend the City Flood Alert system to all urban local bodies across Andhra Pradesh. Each city and municipality will be digitally mapped using its historical flood data to identify local flood hotspots and improve preparedness. The system is based on a similar model that has been successfully implemented in Gurugram, and will now be adapted for Andhra Pradesh’s urban centres.